


Stepping Up

by brokenhighways



Category: Batman - All Media Types, Smallville
Genre: Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Awkward Flirting, F/M, Gen, Justice, Missing Scene, Some Humor, Superheroes
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-10-27
Updated: 2020-10-27
Packaged: 2021-03-08 20:41:10
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,507
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/27222898
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/brokenhighways/pseuds/brokenhighways
Summary: Clark Kent meets Bruce Wayne and wonders if the time has come for him to finally join forces with the rest of the heroes.
Relationships: Clark Kent/Lois Lane
Kudos: 7





	Stepping Up

**Author's Note:**

> I watched Smallville in its entirety and this happened. Somebody save me. Literally. 
> 
> (On a serious note, I did have fun writing this!)

The invitation is on black card with silver embossed text, boasting of the kind of affair Clark Kent usually avoids. He really is just a--

"--farm boy." His friend, Oliver Queen, cuts him off. "We get it. Horses. Cows. Hay. Whatever. You're still coming tonight. I'll even pay for your suit."

"No offence, Oliver, but...why would I need to come to this event?" Clark raises an eyebrow. "How many more billionaires do I need to meet?"

Between Lex's psychotic brilliance and Oliver's boozy brunches, he's already got his work cut out for him. The last thing he needs is another friend whose world is  _ his _ oyster.

For a second, he longs for the days of Smallville High, where he hung out with Pete and Chloe while working on The Torch. When his biggest issue was dealing with whatever new ability manifested itself.

Now, his life is about saving humanity and fulfilling a destiny he's not sure about.

"Smallville, why do you  _ always _ insist on asking the wrong question?" Lois flicks his arm, a tiny pinprick that he barely feels. "There's no such thing as meeting too many billionaires."

"You would say that, Lois." Clark flashes a fake grin, not reacting when she raises an eyebrow as if to say  _ 'is that all you've got? _ '.

It's not his  _ best _ comeback, but lately, she's been getting the best of him during their conversations. If anyone asks he's definitely  _ not  _ smiling at the thought.

Oliver's eyes flick between them before he says, "Look, Bruce really wants to meet you Clark. He's been helping my friends with some of their issues and I told him you're the best problem solver I know."

By friends, Oliver means  _ Justice League _ , and issues are obvious shorthand for  _ saving the world  _ and the problem solving is referring to his abilities.

The thing is that Clark's not sure he's cut out for  _ saving _ the world. It's one thing to stop a bank robbery, or a train from derailing but having billions of lives in his hands?

It's a scary prospect, and Clark wishes he shared Oliver's bravery.

"Where did you say Bruce was from again?" Clark asks.

Lois, whose ability to participate in a conversation no one is involving her in is uncanny, gets her two cents in before Oliver can.

"Clark, you can't be serious. He's in the paper every day along with the hellhole that is Gotham. That city is so bad, there's a dude dressed as a bat doing more to clean up the streets than the police are."

"Dressed up as a bat?" Clark shouldn't be surprised by that after everything he's witnessed, but humanity keeps finding new ways to surprise him.

Oliver shrugs. "Hey, I'm all for a concerned citizen trying to do his part."

Clark can't help chuckling. "Plus you realise your green leather is equally as ridiculous."

Lois snorts, and Oliver's mouth thins into a line - clearly this is a Serious™ conversation and there's some kind of threat he's unaware of.

"Lois, do you mind if Clark and I talk in private."

"Sure thing." Lois grabs the sandwich Clark's just finished making in Oliver's state of the art kitchen. "Later, Smallville."

Clark looks at his vacant hands and sighs to himself, reaching for the bread knife which Oliver gets to first.

Clark's wary sigh echoes. "This is turning out to be the  _ longest _ time I've spent making a BLT."

"Look, Clark, just hear Bruce out," Oliver says. "He might be interested in our work. There's a serious threat coming and we need to be ready."

"We  _ will _ be ready." Clark's known Oliver long enough to tell there's something else. "What does a billionaire playboy have to do with us saving humanity? Present company excluded, obviously. I know you. I know you're a good person. From what I can see Bruce Wayne is too busy finding girls to hang off his arms."

"I thought you didn't know who he was."

"I  _ don't _ , Oliver. That's my point."

Oliver rolls his eyes. "Just be there. You can judge the guy  _ after _ you've met him."

+

With great reluctance, Clark suits up and speeds down to Gotham for Bruce Wayne's charity fundraiser. The Flash and Cyborg are on Metropolis duty, with John Jones keeping an eye on things leaving Clark to walk into the fancy ballroom. He's in a tux and bowtie, feeling as ridiculous as he probably looks.

"Smallville!"

Clark feels his lips curl into a smile when he hears Lois, turning to find her standing next to…

"You must be Bruce Wayne."

The hostess passes by, allowing Clark to retrieve a glass of champagne.

"In the flesh. And you're Clark Kent." Bruce turns his dazzling charm on Lois. "Ms. Lane, would you mind if I spoke with Clark?"

Lois takes Clark's glass of champagne and winks at him. "You owe me a dance, Kent."

"So, you're the infamous Red-Blue Blur."

Clark swallows hard. "Who told you that?"

"I hear things. Like your reluctance to join Oliver and the others. Apparently, you see yourself as a lone wolf."

"What's it to you?"

"Before you got here, you made a stop didn't you?" Bruce's expression is unreadable, but Clark's used to facing masks.

"There was a mugging, but before I got there, it'd been taken care of." Clark raises his brow. "How did you know that?"

"How'd you think?"

"You're  _ The _ Batman?" Clark hisses. "You're the one who left those guys hogtied to a lampost."

"I'm a lot of things, Clark. I'm smart enough to know that we get more done when we work  _ together _ ."

Clark glances at Lois who's at the bar, laughing at something Oliver is saying. He's not sure how Oliver's doing it, how he's handling the fact that who he is made it too difficult for Lois to be with him.

"... and human enough to know it's not easy. Giving up  _ everything _ to keep humanity safe."

"We're not the same."

"True. You lead with your heart. You're so worried about what  _ Lois _ thinks that you can't see the bigger picture."

Clark swallows down his sudden nervousness, not wanting to head down that lane. What he feels for Lois is teetering on the periphery and if he closes his eyes enough, it's barely there.

He can -  _ will _ \- handle it.

He's not going to make the same mistake he did with Lana.

"Is that why you live the way you do? Fast cars? Hot women?"

"It's a facade, Clark. I'm Bruce by day, Bats by night. I know my place in the world as both. The question is, do you?"

+

Lois's car gives up on her and Clark is stuck on the two hour trip with her and Oliver in the Queen Industries Jet when he can't explain why he'd rather take a  _ long _ cab ride back to Metropolis. When Oliver ducks into the back to answer a phone call, she pounces on him. If there's one thing everyone can say about Lois, it's that she loves to be in the know.

"You and Bruce sure had a lot to say for two people who don't know each other."

"Uh. He was just. Commending me. He read about my exploits at Smallville High."

"Ah, yes, your days of saving us from the freak of the week, with a little help from Chloe. How could I forget? You know, Chloe used to mail me every one of those articles."

Clark rolls his eyes, ready for the thinly veiled barb that's coming his way. "Did you read them?"

"Not at first," Lois says, because tact will  _ never  _ be a strong suit, "but after a while, it's hard not to notice true bravery. I mean, what kind of person  _ constantly  _ takes on meteor rock enhanced people and wins every time?"

There's a twinkle in her eye and for a second Clark thinks she  _ knows _ .

"... I'm just doing what anybody else would do."

"I don't think so, Smallville, but... this earnest outlook on life you've got? It's kind of cute."

Clark's initial instinct is to brush off the comment, but he catches her gaze and realises she's  _ serious _ .

He waits for the annoyance to flood in, the hot rush of  _ does she ever stop? _ but it never comes.

+

Clark is heading down the airplane steps when it comes to him. All he's ever wanted is to save people from bad things and... if Oliver and Bruce are interested in the same thing, who is he to turn down their request?

After all, a common goal is a common goal, no matter  _ who _ does the saving.

He waits for Lois to walk ahead, not flinching when she not-so-kindly asks him to grab her bag.

"Are you two  _ ever _ going to stop dancing around and get to the good part, or are you going to make this as awkward as possible?"

"Oliver."

Oliver makes a face. "Right. Who am I kidding? It's the awkward option."

"No, Oliver, I'm  _ in _ ."

"Oh." Oliver's surprise blends into a smile and he pats Clark's shoulder. "Welcome to the team, Smallville."

_ Fin. _


End file.
